


A Proper Lady

by marybethsjournal



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 10:47:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29883408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marybethsjournal/pseuds/marybethsjournal
Summary: Mary Beth gets ready for a date, kept company by Karen and Tilly.
Kudos: 1





	A Proper Lady

“Oh Tilly, I’m so excited!” Mary Beth danced around the hotel room, twirling the bottom of her dress. She felt like a princess. She was going on her first ever proper date. She was just like one of the women in the romance novels she read now. Finally, she was being doted upon and treated like she deserved. It was almost more excitement than she could handle.

Of course she had bought a new dress for the occasion. Well maybe she had bought a few more things than just a dress. But shoes, makeup, and a new hairpin were essentials! Besides, it wasn’t anything to be ashamed of. She had asked Miss Grimshaw if she could spend the money beforehand. Karen had laughed at her for having to ask before she spent money, but Mary Beth really didn’t feel like crossing Grimshaw. Well, she tried to refrain from crossing anyone in general. But that didn’t matter now. What mattered was that she looked so beautiful in this new dress and would look even better when she got her hair and makeup done.

“I know! And you’re gonna tell me all about it afterwards, right?” Tilly asked her excitedly.

“Of course

“I’m not sure if it’s very ladylike to kiss and tell” Mary Beth said without thinking before quickly realizing her mistake, “Not that I’m going to be kissing them! Okay, I will tell you what happens.” Mary Beth continued, blushing.

“That’s the spirit. Since you’re going to be kissing,” Tilly teased, “let’s get you made up for the occasion.” Tilly guided her to the bed and sat her down. Mary Beth wanted to keep twirling and dancing, but she knew she had to sit down to get her makeup done. It was a hard task given how excited she was, but sitting still would be better for her in the long run.

“You know,” Karen piped up, sitting at the top of the bed, smoking a cigarette, “If they need you to wear makeup to take you out, they’re a piece of shit.”

“Oh Karen, you know they’re not like that! I just want to get all done up. I don’t get many occasions that I can wear stuff like this.”

“Ok, I’m just saying if I see anything out of line, they have to answer to me.” Karen puffed out her chest.

Mary Beth giggled. “Stop it! They always tell me I look beautiful no matter what. You just want to look tough! Come here and help me with this.” Mary Beth pointed to all the cosmetic products sat next to her.

“What’s so hard about it? You slap some of that here and there and then you’re done.” Karen crawled over to the end of the bed where Mary Beth was and began pointing to the makeup and Mary Beth’s face to illustrate how she should “slap it on”

“Karen! There’s an art to it,” Tilly sighed. “Don’t worry Mary Beth, I won’t let her near your face.” Tilly assured her friend, patting her arm.

The girls gossiped about this and that while Tilly patted brightening powder all over Mary Beth’s face and subsequently patted the bright rouge onto her cheeks. Mostly, though, they spoke of Mary Beth’s sweetheart. Mary Beth had always tried to be the most cheerful out of the girls but no one in the camp had seen her as genuinely happy as she was now. A smile was on her face almost always and she tended to dance, sing, and have a general lightness about her just about everywhere she went. The young woman had long dreamed of a fairy tale romance and now someone was finally treating her the way she deserved. It was no wonder that Mary Beth gushed about her new “lover” with such a passion, she was being treated with the utmost respect and care.

“I wonder what they’ll wear?” Mary Beth wondered before swiftly adding, “Not that it matters. They’re such a dream.”

Karen laughed at the very obviously swooning girl. “Keep all that romantic talk in the book you’re writing about them.”

Mary Beth blushed. She was, in fact, working on a novel based on her own life and true to the traditional Mary Beth fashion, it was romance. Karen laughed at the way Mary Beth wrote about her sweetheart but she was probably just jealous. Who wouldn’t want to be treated the way she was now? It was a relationship worthy of the most sweet and cheery of romance novels.

“Leave her alone. It’s not like Sean would ever do something so sweet for you.” Tilly sassed. Karen huffed but the words shut her up.

The topic turned to the future as Tilly applied the copper eyeshadow to Mary Beth's eyelids. “So, you see a future with them, huh?” Tilly giggled nervously at her own question. Talk of the future was usually more than they could afford.

“I think so! I mean, I hope so. I want to feel like this for the rest of time, cliche as that sounds. And I really like them.” Mary Beth’s smile grew bigger during the last sentence. She had had many crushes throughout her life. After all, she went through life seeing romance in anything. But this was something deeper. There was definitely a spark.

“You think you could love them?” Karen blurted out.

“Karen!” Tilly scolded.

“Yeah.” Mary Beth responded sheepishly.

Karen couldn’t help but smile. It was nice to see her friend so happy and secure. She might not be the most in touch with any and all of her feelings, but Karen cared about Mary Beth.

“Tilly you can let me do the lipstick. I know how to do makeup.” Karen, feeling left out, informed Tilly.

“I don’t know…” Tilly was reluctant but ultimately there was nothing she could do once Karen had snatched the red lipstick off the bed and opened the cap.

“Fine, just don’t mess it up. She needs to be gone within the hour! But at least this gives me the opportunity to start on her hair.”

“We’re already in town, I _think_ we’ll be alright. What are you supposed to be doin’ on this date anyway?”

“Dinner and a show, I think. But you know them, they always have something or another up their sleeve.” Mary Beth answered, the voice of adoration not wavering.

“Wonder who’s performing in the show.” Tilly wondered aloud, skillfully her friend’s hair.

“I already asked around, couldn’t contain myself. Miss Marjorie was her name, I think.” Mary Beth cautiously recited the name, not sure if she had gotten it right.

“Oh I know her! The one with the two buffoons!” Karen laughed, standing back and admiring her work with lipstick. It did look pretty good, way better than expected for Karen.

“Don’t call them that! I’m sure they're lovely!” Mary Beth defended the strangers.

“Let’s not start a fight, hey?” Tilly clapped her hands together. “Go look in the mirror, I think you look stunning!”

Mary Beth stood up and walked up to the mirror, gasping when she saw her reflection.

“Is that me?”

“Of course it’s you! It’s a goddamn mirror.” Karen sighed, taking the words seriously.

“Shut up, Karen.” Tilly hit Karen playfully.

“I look like a proper lady.” Mary Beth twirled in her emerald dress and admired her hair. This was all too much, she was going to cry happy tears. This was just how she envisioned ladies in all her romance novels. And now this was her.

“Oh don’t get emotional, let’s get you on your date. Stay safe and make good choices!” Karen pushed Mary Beth out of the hotel room and led her towards her date.


End file.
